Of Upstart Chemicals and Inevitable Solutions
by LunagaleMaster
Summary: "Contrary to popular belief, Vladimir Masters did once have a family." A different take on the Vlad Masters origin story. Including but not limited to: Vlad the prodigy, a paranormal science lecture, and beginnings of the eventual downfall of a college friendship. One-shot.
I've always disliked the Vlad is a country bloke background story. To me it doesn't seem right for his pompous character, so for Phanniemay origin prompt, I decided to take a different perspective on Vlad's background. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. All rights go to Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon. Please support the offical release.

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 **|\/|\/\** Of Upstart Chemicals and Inevitable Solutions **/\/|\/|**

Contrary to popular belief, Vladimir Masters did once have a family. A doting mother and supportive father once brought light to his life. How couldn't he be the apple of their eyes? He was the first child, first _son_ , in a higher class, top of their upper middle class family. He was their future, the one who was supposed to their be their shining star who would bring a legacy of greatness to their name.

(In a way, he did, just not in a way they ever probably expected).

As he grew older, his so called parents realized he was a bit… different. While other kids his age would be playing with toy trucks and chasing each other in circles, Vlad would experiment. They were simple things, not too dangerous in his opinion.

He remembered one time when he six that he wanted to see the reactions cleaning products had to different items. Vlad had found his swimming goggles, a thick plastic poncho to put over his clothes, and his mother's yellow cleaning gloves to keep as much skin as possible safe. He then carefully did each experiment in his bathtub, the vent on just in case there were fumes. He remembered that particular experiment clearly. After all, it was the day his mother looked at him like he was different, _a freak of nature_ , as she hastily pulled him away from his collective chemicals. He eyed him like some inhuman _thing_ that she couldn't touch, lest his unnaturalness rub off on her.

Vlad knew he was different. However, back then it wasn't ghost half that made him made him realize this fact. No, it was his intellect. He was smarter than his peers his age and even smarter than the children years older than him. His teachers loved him, of course. Unlike the other cantankerous individuals in his class, he was the quiet child who always did what he was told and answered when asked. He even offered a helping hand whenever he could, much to the cooing of the female professors.

His parents, however… well, they feared him and his smarts. Vlad could always tell. For example, whenever, his teachers requested a meeting to discuss a chance for him to skip grades (this happened at least three times), they would immediately refuse, saying that he needed to be with children his age.

Vlad could always hear the unsaid ' _like a normal child'_.

However, everything changed in his third year of schooling. When his parents stopped needing to focus on him and worried about easier matters, more _normal_ matters.

Everything changed when his sister, Elizabeth Masters, was born.

Their parents did everything they could to make her the perfect daughter, making her the most proper little lady that anyone could ever know. With her soft blonde curls and dark blue eyes, she stole the hearts of everyone that laid eyes on her. Not that Vlad minded. With her taking the blunt of their parent's attention, he was left to his own devices.

While he didn't skip any grades, he took as many advanced classes as possible, surpassing all his peers in every way. He was the pride and joy of his high school, becoming an inventor in small household appliances in technology. Nothing much, but enough to make his own stand in the world. All the while his little sister, puffed herself up like a peacock, eventually becoming an airhead cheerleader with only mediocre talents.

Vlad never knew if his sister was secretly envious of his intellect or if she truly thought that being smart was overrated. He supposed it didn't matter too terribly much; the results would be much the same.

So Vlad cruised through high school, taking college level classes, and getting enough credits to practically skip his first year. He was on top of the world, bright, no _brilliant_ with so much potential that even his parents had started taking note of him again. Though if noting him meant they were proud of his accomplishments or still slightly fearful of what he could do, Vlad could not say.

However, when Vlad attended a lecture on the supernatural his final year of high school, everything in his life changed forever.

The billionaire often wondered what his life would be if he hadn't attended that lecture. Maybe it would have been better, or perhaps he would have lost himself along the way. Who knew? There were times and places to dwell on the past, but wondering what if on something as simple as a lecture was not one of them.

It was ironic, really. At the time, Vlad attended the thing to scoff, maybe even get a little laugh at the other _ghost enthusiasts_ who would be attending _,_ for people to be caring about such an idiotic form of science. However, as the lights dimmed around him and the gangly lab coated man entered the stage and started babbling about salt, ectoplasm, and iron, Vlad's scoffing thoughts faded away, and all that was left was… intrigue.

Ghosts. Imprints of post human conscious. Reminders of death itself, proving a life after your last heartbeat.

For some reason these ideas spoke to Vlad in a way that nothing else had before. The supernatural was something unattainable, the _ultimate challenge_ regarding the fields of science. Something unexplainable, maddening in its possibilities. The idiot on stage explained the basics of ghosts, true, but even then Vlad could practically taste the infinite amount of discoveries that no one, ever could have done before. It was that moment, as the rest of the crowd clapped and cheered, as the gangly 'scientist' finished his presentation that Vlad knew what he was going to do with his life.

He would be the one to find this world where the supernatural dwelled. He would change the view of impossible paranormal science forever.

Vlad Masters would be the one who would revolutionize science itself and become the best paranormal scientist in the world.

To the shock of those who cared, instead of applying to some top of the line, Ivy League School, Vlad settled on the more humble University of Wisconsin. While his choice was partly due to the school's highly regarded paranormal studies application program, Vlad also had to choose the school for more practical reasons. Despite his parents overflowing amount of cash, they had refused to fund his college studies. Their reasoning was that they would never fund an "impractical waste of illogical science" as his main career choice. Many arguments and angry words were said, and in the end, Vlad had finally had enough. Using the money he earned with the few inventions he patented, he packed his suitcase, took every he could carry or hold in his car, and finally left his unsupportive house.

The last thing he saw of his parents, was their angry faces, with only his mother's brimming with disappointed tears causing him to even pause slightly before turning away forever.

No, that wasn't true. How could he forget his darling little sister Elizabeth? After all, he could never forget her mocking, smug smile or her malicious dark blue eyes practically glowing with victory.

There were many days that Vlad recognized that dark blue glow in his own eyes.

Leaving was another crossroads in his life, another what if, but one that Vlad never really questioned his decision over. These were the people who held him back from his full potential; they always did, and quite frankly, Vlad never could see a way they could ever care about his true self. It might have even been a relief for them, to have to stop pretending to care about their _freak_ of a son.

Besides, the full-ride to the University of Wisconsin was nothing to sniff at finically. So it was a win-win for everyone.

So Vlad went to the college, signed in, got his books that he knew he could memorize easily, and explored the campus to his heart's content. At a little after five, he found his way to his dorm and resolved himself to unpack his many things and hope beyond hope for a tolerable roommate.

It was here that Vlad met the man who would eventually become the man who would ruin his life forever.

"Hey, I'm Jack Fenton, and it's totally stellar to meet you!" The man smiled brightly, holding a hand out for Vlad to take, as the prodigy only moments ago dragged his overstuffed suitcase in, "I know that we'll be the best of friends, I'll guarantee it!"

Jack Fenton was just as idiotic then as he would be twenty years later. But at the time, Vlad mistook his stupidity for simply an overly friendly disposition.

But, again, at the time, Jack was a total stranger, his to be 'best friend,' and as much as he would later like to deny it, at the time, Vlad did not hate the Fenton name or curse the man for ever being born.

Blinking at the giant of the man, Vlad took his outstretch hand, and with a slightly wary smile said, "Vlad Masters. Nice to meet you, Jack."

The two chatted idly a bit, with Jack doing most of the talking, as Vlad took his stuff in. Jack offered to help his new roommate, and with a whole car to unload, who was Vlad to argue? It was here where he first learned about his soon to be darling Maddie, but truly, he didn't know how much she would eventually mean to him. Jack seemed to be trying to make a good first impression, or at the very least, his overly puppy dog attitude seemed to bleed into being helpful for once in his life. Eventually, though, the number of items dwindled, and the two were taking their last load up to the too small dorm rooms.

"Man, it was getting kind of lonely in here, ya' know?" Jack commented, as they neared their door, "My other roommate, he left half way through last semester. Said something about other place to stay. Can't understand why he wouldn't want to live the dorm life though," He shrugged, and gives Vlad get another way too large smile, "But now you're here! So all well that ends well!"

Vlad frowned, as he held open the door for Jack to get in, "You were here last semester?"

"Thanks! And yeah, V-man. I'm totally an upperclassman," Jack walked into the room, "Been studying paranormal science for a year now, so my partner and I can find ghosts!" He sighed happily, unaware of Vlad's growing excitement, "Good times…"

Vlad closed the door and put the box he was carrying down, "Paranormal science?"

"Yeah! It's totally tubular!" Jack remarked, putting down his box as well. He suddenly looked like an overgrown puppy, "Would you like to hear about our work?"

"Actually, I'm taking the class too. It's my major."

"Far-out! I guess we will be best friends then!" The man crossed over to Vlad, and to his surprise slammed a large hand on his back, smiling brightly, a memory that the current Vlad tried not to be fond of, "Glad to have you as a roommate too, V-man!"

Vlad winced, but, at the time, couldn't help but feel touched at the man's kindness. He smiled, genuinely for the first time in, he didn't know how long, "…I guess so, Jack. Me too. Just a warning, I never had a best friend before."

"Never?"

Vlad carefully hid his scowl, "No, no one really liked me, and, most of the time, the feeling was mutual."

"Man, that's totally bogus," Jack hooked an arm over the shorter man's shoulder, ignoring his indignant whelp and smile still sticking on his face, "Hey, you're a cool cat. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Through the rest of the night, the two talked of classes, people, but mostly of ghosts, the very thing that would eventually ruin him and his friendships forever. It was his future.

The next morning, Vlad would go to his classes, and in that afternoon meet the love of his life. He would enjoy the utter confusion turned complete excitement on Jack's face when he walked into the same classes, having been smart enough to get the credits earlier in his high school career. Through the years, he would have a good laugh or two, discover many things about himself and his… friends that he never knew he could ever want to know, and just generally be happy. These were the best years of his life, as Vlad finally had friends, finally felt normal.

Of course, that feeling would be destroyed when yet another person who supposedly cared about him ruined his life, but for a time, Vlad's life was good. No parents to hold him back. No little sister to look down on him. No standards to meet except his own.

Vlad had everything,

But then inevitably he lost it all, and the rest, you could say, was history.

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Critiques are loved! Tell me what you liked! Tell me what you disliked! What did you think of Vlad's origin story? For those who read my other stories, I'm sorry for not updating. Life's weird and I'm tired and inspiration is low. Whatcha gonna do?

Anyway, thanks for reading. See you next time!

~LunagaleMaster


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